The conventional method and ice trays for making ice cubes in a refrigerator freezer involves a number of problems principally related to the time and care needed to fill and place ice trays filled with water in the refrigerator freezer section and the water spillage that occurs during this process. Simultaneous filling of several trays at a time is not possible. The loading and transport of a single tray usually involves spillage. Transport of the open trays is a problem. The open trays sometimes absorb odors from the other foods in the freezer. Shrinkage of ice by evaporation is a problem in frost free freezers. Standard ice trays are awkward to transport and provide no insulation to preserve the ice.
Various attempts have been made to provide an ice tray that is more convenient to fill and less susceptible to spillage than the standard tray with a plurality of cavities or a subdividing section that is nearly filled with water and then carried to the freezer compartment. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,691,850, 4,433,785, 4,241,492, 4,372,526, 4,432,529, and 4,627,595 show various tray designs, many of which include covers to prevent spillage and permit stacking for carrying to the freezer compartment. Most of these patents suffer from potential spillage as well as extensive time required for filling the trays and placing them in the freezer compartment.
In an effort to solve some of the problems with ice trays, manufacturers have created refrigerators with ice makers. These entail a considerable added expense for the consumer and are only accommodated by newer houses with specialized plumbing. Older houses require considerable plumbing expenses to accommodate an ice marker refrigerator.
It is therefore, the object of the present invention to provide an easily portable container capable of allowing the simultaneous filling of a plurality of ice trays or forms wherein the excess water is drained off, thus preventing spillage during transport and storage.
A further object of the invention is to provide a container wherein ice trays are independently contained and thus not subject to being trapped in ice formed in the freezing compartment.
A further object of the invention is to provide a container which prevents odor absorption or evaporation of the ice formed within.
A further object of the invention relates to the form wherein the walls of the containers are insulated allowing for freezing when the lid is off the storage and transport and ice preservation for parties and picnics by merely putting on the insulated lid.
The container in which the ice was formed now also becomes an insulated ice bucket.